‘Extend waiver to those with more than 5 acres’

Distraint proceedings have been launched against many of the farmers because of their inability to repay.

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (agriculturists’ wing) has urged Finance Minister P. Chidambaram to extend loan waiver to farmers holding more than five acres too as distraint proceedings have been launched against many of them because of their inability to repay.

In a memorandum, Puliyur R. Nagarajan, vice president of the unit, has pointed out that the Central government announced a loan waiver to the tune of Rs.80,000 crore in 2008.

Then it had waived the entire loan for those holding less than five acres and 25 per cent for those holding more than five acres.

“The farmers holding more than five acres have been appealing to the government to waive their loans in entirety.” He contended that labelling any one holding even one cent more than five acres as a ‘rich farmer’ was a travesty of justice.

Till date, agriculturists are in deep trouble and a lot of farmers who have incurred huge debts are forced to commit suicide.

Besides, lands are being sold to industrialists. Distraint proceedings have been initiated against several farmers and their farm implements, including tractors are being confiscated by the nationalised banks, he alleged.

Mr. Nagarajan urged the Finance Minister to decide whether industrial growth was important or agricultural production.

While farmers are buffeted on one side by drought and other side by floods, they are subjected to untold misery for their inability to repay their farm loans.

Hence, he demanded that the loans extended to all the farmers be written off till date and help them engage themselves in food production without any worry.